Spiritus Ignis
by Parsley
Summary: Pre-FE1. Marth and Cain's simple hunting mission turns out to be far more dangerous than they had expected.


Note: This is one huge, (somewhat) failed writing experiment on my part. I started this about six or seven months ago, insisting to myself that I could indeed finish a writing project no matter what it took. Obviously, that did not go as planned, but hey, the first chapter is good to go now. This is the start to something very long and very weird. I don't know if I'll ever finish this experimental story, but I have a lot of it written.

Also, I don't own Fire Emblem.

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><p>"Come now, my Liege. We mustn't wait for the sun to rise," a young, levelheaded knight beckoned into the twilight. The guiltiest of urges was trapped within his sullen voice, piercing the night with an overwhelming sense of honor, dignity, and pride. Like most new knights, he held his head high and gripped a pompous, valiant hold to his blade - which unsettled the young prince following him, silently bitter about the knight's wasted fate.<p>

The knight peered at his prince through the forest, catching him in the action of a wide stare, which was averted towards the ground.

Prince Marth quickened his fragile and dainty pace through the forest, scuffing through the thick plants with the improved pace of a prisoner marching to their death – as opposed to his former pace of an eroding canyon. He clearly did not want to complete his quest, and the knight Cain was having enough trouble trying not to say anything in regards to the prince's reluctance in the matter; all while carrying out his orders of escorting him.

The knight's expression remained unchanged and calculating as he peered back at his prince. Marth's gaze tiredly wandered through the forest. Easily mistaken for the eyes of an innocent child at first glance, truly studying the prince's face brought upon the realization that those sheltered and pure blue eyes had been bathed in blood and surrounded by the chaos of war. How the prince remained the same peaceful man he was before his exposure to the harshness of battle is what set him up for glory and made him worthy of the throne.

Upon seeing his prince quicken his lingering childish pace through the forest, Cain focused his gaze forewords once again. The knight sighed deeply as he heard Marth's crunching pace become slower.

"My Lord, I realize that you do not want to do this, but I beg that you carry out this task in an efficient and honorable manner. Your slowing pace is making me nervous and lives are at stake," he said hesitantly, glancing behind him.

A pause followed, and Marth had taken the knight's plead to heart. "Cain, forgive my selfishness," he murmured. Although his response had been quick, the pressing infliction on his voice made his words sincere. "This expression of generosity that I will display in doing this quest is perhaps too frivolous in the face of what greatly concerns the kingdom during this present time –"

The young knight Cain stopped abruptly, eyes flashing in alarm. "My Lord –" he interrupted, holding a hand to the prince's chest.

The prince halted, and softly corrected Cain by saying, "Marth." Feeling as though he had sounded too harsh, the prince quietly insisted, "There is no need for me to feel superior to a dear friend, yes?"

"Marth, then," Cain continued as he sharply looked around, the name foreign to his tongue. Realizing that his sensed danger had been false, he carried on. Sensing the prince's fluctuating nerves, Cain added, "It is only a hunt, Marth, please relax. I was sent with you for the sole purpose of protection, and I will help you in a heartbeat if anything should occur."

The young prince resisted objecting to Cain's claim that the expedition was 'just a hunt', but decided not to argue with him. Marth's unsure frown did not change. "Why must I be sent? Why not someone more able?" he asked, more to himself than anyone else.

"You are the prince - and perfectly able. It is not wise to delegate such errands of severe opportunity onto others. This will be an excellent chance to sustain your valued worth," Cain replied simply, continuing to breeze through the forest, making sure that Marth was following him.

"Perhaps it is too dangerous for just the two of us. We do not know what kind of creature we are dealing with."

At this, Cain stopped and turned to face Marth. "Marth, I am certain that no beast can destroy the likes of two strong warriors. I beg that you do not fret. If things become dangerous in the slightest, we will flee. There is no need to worry."

The prince's eyes lit up at the knight's claim that he was an able warrior as well, used to hearing violent oppositions to such a claim within the castle. However, Marth remained anxious. Carefully, he spoke, "Confidence with no bounds will receive not a single victor in the face of death, Cain. It is better to remain cautious and alive rather than bold and dead."

A faint grin appeared on Cain's face. "You are quite the opposite of your father and his assertive philosophy," he commented, amused.

"It is unwise to speak ill of the king," Marth retorted brightly, lacking the enthusiasm to seem offended.

"Please forgive me, Marth."

Their discussion ceased to progress, and their smiles slowly faded as they continued through the forest towards their objective - a supposedly haunted clearing located deep within the forest. The clearing was said to be the home of a demon boar who emerged occasionally to wreck havoc onto the local village. The town was in ruins, causing the credibility of such a fantasy creature to become grimly plausible. Though many Alteans deemed it a silly myth, their prince could not stand to see an entire village's pleads be ignored. For this reason, Marth had been volunteered to explore the matter.

Thus, Marth and Cain's trek through the thick moor began, unknowing as to what they would find in such a place and anxious to prove the legend either right or wrong. They stayed silent the deeper they journeyed, preparing for a fight.

Before the silence could become troubling, a faint thrashing echoed through the woods. Cain sprang into action by halting and signaling the prince to do so as well. His eyes grew sharp as he clutched viciously onto his javelin. Marth tensed and placed a steady hand on the hilt of his sheathed sword.

Part of this mission was for Marth to prove his worth to the kingdom. He hoped that Cain would not be the one to slay the monster, and then let him take the credit for the deed. He silently shuffled forewords in front of Cain, causing the knight to give him a nervous glance.

Moments passed, and the horrible sound of branches snapping made the two warriors conclude that the source of such treacherous noises could only be a huge animal. Cain was completely relaxed, and even shot the prince a look of breif excitement, to which Marth returned with one of sheer unease. Much to Marth's, Cain visibly lowered his javalin, and Marth loudly unsheathed his sword.

Marth was nervous of the consequences that would plague him if he failed. The village and his kingdom would be let down, and the increasingly popular hushed opinion that he was unfit to be crowned king would only be reinforced. His very own knights would frown upon him, perhaps even more so then they probably already did. Marth slumped his shoulders and tried to keep his eyes pressed before him, taking a deep breath.

Cain seemed to notice the prince's dwindling confidence and furrowed his brow. He pursed his lips before ducking down into the foliage as the beast seemed to approach them. Marth did the same, gripping at the hilt of his sword in fearful concentration. The thundering creature grew louder and louder, shaking the very ground of the forest around the two men. Marth was beginning to wonder what kind of boar made the ground quake and beifly thought that he would be too afraid to face such a demon.

Upon getting a glimpse of the creature, Cain flinched out of his hiding place with wide eyes, having spotted the grandiose creature before Marth had. There was one thing he was certain of: it was no boar. His expression turned hard. Cain immiditely reacted by grabbing Marth by the arm and shouting, "Run!"

Although frightened, he resisted the urge flee back to town in those precious seconds in which Marth was too stunned to move, but recalled knightly pledge protect the prince at all costs, more so than his own life. Marth paled when he finally saw the creature and scrambled up at Cain's pull.

The legend had been partically true, as there was definitely a demonic creature causing an uproar near the town. However, the beast was no boar, but a particularily vicious looking dragon.

Stunned and not taking the time to process what he had just seen, Cain shoved the prince in front of him towards the direction of the village. Marth sprinted through the forest, having enough sense to know that he and Cain were no match for a dragon. Visions of the ferocious beast's face urged Marth to run even faster. With horror, he quickly wondered where it had come from, and if there were more.

Concerned, he snapped his head back to see if Cain was following him. Surely enough, the knight was right behind him, huffing with anger and exhaustion. If there was one thing Cain hated, it was fleeing from a battle. Marth regretted looking back on him, as he knew that his face was plastered with fear - an unacceptable emotion for a prince to show. Although guilty, he deemed the moment an exception as he ran, focusing more on how he was going to tell everyone that he had just seen a _dragon_ rather than his own survival.


End file.
